About the Manual of Tests and Criteria

UN Manual of Tests and Criteria

Introduction

The Manual of Tests and Criteria contains criteria, test methods and procedures to be used for classification of dangerous goods according to the provisions of Parts 2 and 3 of the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations, as well as of chemicals presenting physical hazards according to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). As a consequence, it supplements also national or international regulations which are derived from the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods or the GHS.

Originally developed by the Economic and Social Council’s Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods which adopted a first version in 1984, it has been regularly updated and amended every two years. Presently, the updating is done under the auspices of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, which replaces the original committee since 2001.

The classification procedures, test methods and criteria contained in the Manual of Tests and Criteria are divided into three parts, as follows:

Part I:

those relating to assignment of explosives to Class 1;

Part II:

those relating to assignment of self-reactive substances to Division 4.1 and of organic peroxides to Division 5.2;

In December 2004, the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals decided to add a new part IV relating to test methods concerning transport equipment.

The fifth revised edition

The fifth revised edition includes all the amendments to the fourth revised edition adopted by the Committee at its second and third sessions in 2004 and 2006 (published under the symbols ST/SG/AC.10/11/Rev.4/Amend.1 and ST/SG/AC.10/11/Rev.4/Amend.2) and those adopted at its fourth session in 2008 (ST/SG/AC.10/36/Add.2 and -/Corr.1).

Among the new amendments are revised provisions for the testing and classification of lithium metal and lithium ion batteries (Sub-section 38.3), new test methods for transport equipment (Part IV), an additional test for assigning classification code 1.4S to certain articles (Section 16, unconfined package test), a new test for determining whether pyrotechnic substances are to be considered as flash compositions for the purpose of classification (Appendix 7), as well as various other revised provisions.